Another offering by Paul Jacobs along with the great talents of Joseph Silverstein and the America Brass Quintet. From one of the earliest digital recordings by Nonesuch (1982), here is a collection of "portraits" by Virgil Thomson.
Though I would not consider Virgil Thomson among the top tier of American composers, he did write some interesting music in operatic, orchestral and instrumental forms. Throughout much of his life, Thomson enjoyed making "gifts" of his music, in the form of rather short miniatures that he termed "portraits." In these portraits, the composer sought to capture the spirit and essence of an individual. Most were either close friends of Thomson or trusted colleagues from throughout the world of art, music and literature. These portraits would range in scope of under a minute to up to 5 minutes or more. This is personal music of Thomson, not meant for an extensive general audience but again, as a personalized and most often intimate and heartfelt gift.
These are delightful pieces, not at all overly intellectual or over the top. The hard thing about performing them is capturing the feeling that Thomson had when composing them. Being a "gift" there is emotion involved and for a third party to feel what the giver had in mind is a very difficult task. Fortunately with these artists, their musicianship and intuitive sense serve greatly to render a satisfying and enjoyable program. Jacobs is indeed masterful in music which was his specialty but I believe that Joseph Silverstein is the real master here. What a great musician he is, so versatile and levelheaded! Truly excellent violin playing here, warm and sensitive.
Something different here to enjoy and treasure for the artistic committment by the performers.
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